The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Retail stores are constantly looking for new ways to display their marketing messages. However, space is often limited in retail stores, and most of it must be used to display merchandise. Therefore, retail stores are left with limited options on how to effectively display marketing messages without using valuable space that can be used to display merchandise.
Often overlooked areas of the typical retail store are columns. Columns are essential to the structural integrity of the retail store, but they occupy precious space. Rather than merely ceding columns as lost space, retailers have attempted to use columns to display their marketing messages.
However, using columns to display marketing messages poses a number of problems. Columns come in many different shapes: some might have flat surfaces while others have curved surfaces. Columns also come in many different sizes: some might be large while others are small. Additionally, columns aren't always bare. Conduits, fire extinguishers, and other obstacles exist that prevent retailers from easily and effectively displaying their marketing messages on columns.
Some retailers have attempted to hang banners on columns; however, all of the characteristics of columns discussed previously make what is usually a simple task much more complicated. Banners have to be customized for each unique column due to the different sizes and shapes of columns, along with where conduits, fire extinguishers, and other obstacles are located on the column. Additionally, in order to properly attach these banners to the column, the column itself often must be permanently damaged, such as by using a nail or other damaging fastener. These issues make it expensive and time consuming to display a marketing message on a column.
Additionally, marketing messages do not last forever, and most marketing campaigns change frequently. Changing banners on columns several times a year can be cumbersome and time consuming. Therefore, it is highly desirable to be able to quickly and efficiently change marketing messages several times a year.
Most retailers have many different marketing messages that they would like to display at once. Using a column to display a single marketing message using a banner or a similar device is already difficult enough. Attempting to display multiple marketing messages on a single column using the current methods would be even more impracticable, and in some cases impossible.
Therefore, it is highly desirable to have a device that assists retail stores in using columns to easily and effectively display marketing messages. It is also highly desirable to have a device that can be universally used with different sized and shaped columns while avoiding conduits, fire extinguishers, and other obstacles commonly found on columns. Additionally, it is highly desirable to have a device that allows marketing messages to be easily and inexpensively changed when displaying these messages on columns.